Neurological Implications of COVID-19 Infections

Edward J Needham, Sherry H-Y Chou, Alasdair J Coles, David K Menon, Edward J Needham, Sherry H-Y Chou, Alasdair J Coles, David K Menon

Abstract

The magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic will result in substantial neurological disease, whether through direct infection (rare), para-infectious complications (less rare), or critical illness more generally (common). Here, we raise the importance of stringent diagnosis and data collection regarding neurological complications of COVID-19; we urge caution in the over-diagnosis of neurological disease where it does not exist, but equally strongly encourage the concerted surveillance for such conditions. Additional to the direct neurological complications of COVID-19 infection, neurological patients are at risk of harm from both structural limitations (such as number of intensive care beds), and a hesitancy to treat with certain necessary medications given risk of nosocomial COVID-19 infection. We therefore also outline the specific management of patients with neuroinflammatory diseases in the context of the pandemic. This article describes the implications of COVID-19 on neurological disease and advertises the Neurocritical Care Society's international data collection collaborative that seeks to align data elements.

Keywords: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; COVID-19; Encephalitis; Guillain–Barré syndrome.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Putative mechanisms underlying neurological consequences of COVID-19

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Source: PubMed

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